UK Accelerates Deployment of DragonFire Laser Weapon System
Introduction
On 20 November 2025, the UK Ministry of Defence announced a £316 million contract awarded to MBDA UK, in partnership with QinetiQ and Leonardo UK, to deliver the DragonFire laser-directed energy weapon system for initial deployment aboard a Type 45 destroyer by 2027. This decision marks a decisive step in the United Kingdom’s transition from…